Inflatable life preserver



March 3, 1970 J. .1.M.=.1.L.||-|..`n. ETAI- 3,497,389

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INVENTORS JOHN J. MELLO JR. JONATHUN HAR G WILLIAM T. SCHRA T CARMELA FILIPPI ATTURNEY March 3, 1970 J. J. MELLIN, JR.. ETAI- 3,497,889

INFLATABLE LIFE PRESERVER med umn 21. 196s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 6 24. a 2..

4 v 22E t l INVENToRs f I JOHN J. MELLGN, JR.

Jomn'nou Hanome 39 a, WILLIAM T. scHRANoT so 15 CARMELA Fnuwpmo "Y Murga..

ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,497,889 INFLATABLE LIFE PRESERVER John J. Mellin, Jr., Woodbury Heights, Jonathan Harding, Camden, and William T. Schrandt, Verga, NJ., and Carmela M. Filippino, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Mar. 21, 1968, Ser. No. 714,824 Int. Cl. B63c 9/16 U.S. Cl. 9-340 2 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A life preserver having a pair of separate independently inflatable flotation compartments consisting of a collar lobe and two interconnected body lobes. In its deflated condition the preserver is enclosed in a T-shaped supporting cover to form a single integrated unit which is worn around the waist, up the back and which substantially encircles the neck to provide complete unencumbered operational movement for the wearer.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used 'by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates particularly to a novel and improved inflatable life preserver which is compatible with all existing military personnel combat, safety and survival equipment and clothing.

Due to severe space and weight limitations, life preservers used aboard military aircraft are necessarily of the gas intlatable type rather than preservers that employ a lighter than water solid material as the buoyant medium. Current widely used inflatable preservers are generally a yoke/vest configuration, underarm type or a combination type which is integrated into a survival garment or flight suit. In presently used yoke/ vest type preservers, the deflated assembly is draped around the neck and rests flat on the wearers chest and upper back. When the yoke/ vest preserver is inflated, the wearers head and variously arranged straps retain the preserver in its proper relationship on the wearers body in order to provide effective flotation capability. Expansion of the yoke/ vest type preserver, however, often causes restriction of head movement, choking and severe irritation and chafng about the wearers chin and neck. Moreover, the shoulder and chest portions of the yoke/vest preserver must be limited in size so as not to interfere with other equipment and wearer maneuverability during flight operations. Such size limitations, in turn, limit the buoyancy characteristics of the preserver.

Underarm type inflatable preservers are usually folded compactly and stowed within spacial envelopes that are secured about the wearers torso by adjustable straps. When inflated, this preserver rises to a position under the armpits of the wearer and supports him in a hanging position. Although the underarm preserver can be fabricated to provide greater buoyancy than the yoke/vest type preserver, it can not be readily designed so as to quickly ensure a face-up disposition of the wearer in the water at all times. The wearer of the underarm type preserver can iloat in the water on his face as well as on his back. Moreover, rupture of one of the flotation units of the underarm preserver causes the wearer to float on his side so as to often cause the drowning of a severely injured or unconscious wearer.

In the combination type preserver, inflatable lobes to surround the neck and waist of the wearer are integrated within a vest type survival garment or integrated into a 3,497,889 Patented Mar. 3, 1970 ICC flight suit. Although the combination type preserver eliminates some disadvantages of the abovementioned configurations, its inherent design is not compatible for use with all existing military personnel combat, safety and survival equipment, particularly the non-integrated parachute-harnesses and associated flight clothing. In the nonintegrated harness, for example, the harness must be cornpletely removed before the preserver lobes can be inflated. For a pilot downed at sea this is extremely cumbersome and dangerous, especially if the pilot is injured or the sea is rough. The problem is aggravated if the downed crewman is carrying land survival equipment which is stowed on his upper torso in a special vest, The equipment, besides Ibeing cumbersome, adds extra weight which decreases the buoyant effect of the prior combination preservers below that required to eliminate ducking in an active sea. Also, to get free of the preserver, it was necessary to remove the vest or entire flight suit of which the preserver was integrated into. This could only be accomplished if any restraint or survival equipment carried by the crewman were rst removed, which in certain situations is not immediately possible or convenient.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved inflatable life preserver which is completely compatible with any type flight clothing configuration or the like.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved inflatable life preserver having increased safe flotation capability and buoyancy of the wearer in the water.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved inflatable life preserver which is comfortable, presents minimum interference with the wearers operational movements and which is easily removable under all operating conditions.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved inflatable life preserver which can be inflated in midair during parachute descent and will not interfere with parachute-harness release after hitting the water.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of the improved preserver of the present invention when the preserver is in its deflated condition;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the improved preserver of the present invention when the preserver is in its inflated condition;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the flotation compartments of the improved preserver of the present invention lwhen the same are separated from the outer cover in which they are worn;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the improved preserver of the present invention taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the filent of the preserver' showing details of one of the pockets and the tubular collar section of the outer cover; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective View of a portion of the back of the preserver.

Referring now to the details of the drawings, wherein like reference numerals apply to like parts throughout, and more particularly to FIGURES l and 2, it will be noted that the preferred embodiment of the invention includes a collar lobe 10 and a pair of body lobes 11 which are enclosed in a U-shaped tubular section 12 and a pair of pockets 13 respectively of an outer cover 14 (FIGURE 5), in a manner which will become more apparent hereinafter. The lower section of the preserver encircles the wearers waist and attaches to the body through an adjustable belt 15. The upper section of the preserver substantially encircles the wearers neck and is secured t adjustable D-rings 16 located on the chest area of the wearers garment by means of snap hooks 17 connected to the tubular section 12.

As shown, in the deflated readiness condition, the inflatable members are entirely concealed and protected and the chest and underarm area of the wearer remains free to expose a surface for stowage of land survival equipment and create an unencumbered passageway for aircraft or parachute harness restraint components. Yet, when the body lobes are inflated, they expand to a position over the chest which provides superior flotation capability for the wearer.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, the separate flotation compartments are shown removed from the outer cover 14. Compartmentation of the preserver is designed so that the body lobes 11 are interconnected through an air or gas channel 20 that extends through both halves of the base of an inverted T-shaped back section 21 to form one llotation compartment. The pressurized gas inflation device 22 and the oral inflation device 23 respectively allow for automatic or oral inflation of this compartment of the preserver. The other flotation compartment of the preserver comprises the collar lobe 1() and the air or gas channel 24 that extends through the leg and one-half of the base of the back section 21 and interconnects the collar lobe 10 with the pressurized gas inllation device 25 and the oral inllation device 26 lwhich respectively allow for automatic or oral inflation of this compartment of the preserver. The collar lobe 10, the Ibody lobes 11, and the back section 21 of the preserver are preferably constructed of light weight neoprene coated nylon, polyurethane coated nylon, rubber or any suitable air or gas retaining elastic material.

Inasmuch as the pressurized gas inflation devices 22 and 25 per se form no part of the present invention, the details of the same are not included herein for the sake of simplicity. For a full understanding of the invention, it need only be understood that the preserver includes a pair of CO2 cylinders, for example, with seals which are punctured by a piercing pin which is actuated by pulling a toggle 30. The toggles 30 are connected to actuating levers 28 by way of the lanyard 29. The oral inllation devices 23 and 26 are an improved flexible, corrugated, bellows-type tube which are symmetrically located on each of the body lobes 11 and serve for emergency inflation, topping olf or for test purposes. Therefore, since the oral inflation device 26 for the collar lobe 10 is not physically mounted on the collar lobe, no facial or head injury can be sustained by the wearer during use. While the oral tubes are mounted on the body lobes 11, they are very elastic and can be stretched a substantial amount over their normal length and are easily accessible to the wearers mouth for emergency use.

It will be noted that with the exception of one-half of the base of the back section 21, the preserver consists entirely of a single two layer construction with superimposed type seams. Referring now to FIGURE 4, that portion of the back section 21 where the air channels 20 and 24 overlap is shown. As previously described, the air channel 20 interconnects the pair of body lobes 11 and the air channel 24 interconnects the collar lobes 10 with its inflating means 25 and 26.

Reference is now made `to FIGURES and 6 which show the features of the front and back respectively of the outer cover 14. In the properly deflated and packed condition, the Ibelt or base of an inverted T-shaped back section 21' is worn around the waist and is securely fitted to the body by means of an adjustable strap 35 which is Secured to till@ back o f the outer cover 14 and runs substantially along the entire length of the belt 15. Suitable hook and pile fasteners 36 and 37 on the front of the belt 15 also enable an adjustment to be made to ensure a more comfortable and secure fit around the wearers waist. The D-rings 38 and snap hooks 39 on opposite ends of the belt 15 are provided to interconnect the same for attachment around the' waist.

The leg 24 of the back section 21 and the U-shaped tubular section 12 form the upper section of the preserver which passes up the wearers back, over the shoulders and substantially encircles the neck. The outer cover 14 is preferably constructed of nylon fabric coated on the inner surface with rubber or like material to avoid chafing of the contained collar and body lobes and provides for attachment, support, protection and concealment of the inllatable lobes until it is necessary for their use. The lobes are preferably attached to the cover along reinforced seams by means of rivets.

When the preserver is deflated, the collar lobe 10 and the body lobes 11 are folded and placed into the tubular section 12 and the pockets 13 respectively of the outer cover 14. The collar lobe is secured in its folded condition by means of suitable hook and pile fasteners 40v and 41 contained around the edges of the tubular section 12. The gas channel 24 extends downwardly through the leg 24 and through a half of the belt 15 of the cover 14. The gas channel 20 extends through the entire belt 15 and connects the body lobes 11 on opposite sides of the cover 14 within the pockets 13. The pockets 13 and hence the body lobes 11 are maintained in their folded condition by means of an elongated nylon retaining loop 42 which is secured adjacent the bottom edge of the llap 43 of the pocket 13. The loop 42 is inserted through the aperture 44 adjacent the top edge of the llap 45 and through the apertures 46 and 47 adjacent the edges of the llaps 48 and 49 respectively when the overlapping flaps are folded to cover the body lobes 11. A Teflon release pin 50 is attached to the toggle 30 of each pressurized gas inflation device 22 and 25 and is normally positioned through the outer extremity of the retaining loop 42 after the llaps of the pockets 13 have been folded.

In operation, when the pilot or person wearing the suit desires to inllate the preserver, he grasps and pulls the toggles 30 attached to the pressurized gas inflation devices 22 and 25. In pulling the toggles 30, the release pins 50 are withdrawn from the retaining loops 42 on the pockets 13 and the actuating levers 28 actuate piercing pins that puncture gas seals. When pressurized gas is directed through the gas channel 24 in back section 21 of the preserver to the collar lobe 10, the resulting inflation and expansion of the collar lobe 10 automatically disengages the hook and pile fasteners 40 and 41 on the tubular section 12 and the inflated collar lobe pops out about the wearers neck. Pressurized gas also simultaneously inllates the body lobes 11 of the preserver through the gas channel 20 of the back section 21. When the pins 50 are withdrawn from the loops 42, the ilaps of the pockets are released and offer no resistance to the inilating body lobes 11 whicn pop out as shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawing. It is to be noted that suitable hook and pile fasteners may also be -used on the pockets 13 to ensure that they remain folded until inflation of the body lobes 11 is initiated. Each otation compartment provides a minimum of 32 pounds of buoyancy when expanded to its design shape, and alone will maintain a survivor alloat in water in a satisfactory attitude.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A single size adjustable, inflatable life preserver which is compatible with any type clothing configuration, comprising:

(a) a lirst flotation compartment that includes an inflatable collar lobe which substantially encircles the neck of the wearer;

(b) a second flotation compartment that includes a pair of inflatable 'body lobes positioned on either side of the frontal body area of the wearer;

(c) inflation means including a separate pressurized CO2 cylinder and a flexible bellows-type oral inflation device for the collar and body lobes respectively, each of said oral ination devices mounted on one of said body lobes;

(d) and an outer cover for enclosing and supporting said flotation compartments having an inverted T- shaped back section which encloses a first gas channel that interconnects the body lobes and which encloses a second gas channel that interconnects the collar lobe of the preserver with its ination means, the base of said back section being adapted to encircle the wearers Waist and having an adjustable strap and hook and pile fasteners provided along its length so that rm attachment and positioning may be maintained around the wearers waist.

2. The inatable life preserver substantially as de- 25 scribed in claim 1, wherein when the preserver is deated, the collar lobe is folded into a U-shaped tubular section of the outer cover disposed around the neck and secured in the folded condition by means of hook and pile fasteners disposed on said tubular section, and wherein the body lobes are folded into pockets located on the base of the back section comprising four overlapping aps, three of said flaps having an aperture located adjacent an edge thereof, the remaining liap having a retaining loop secured adjacent an edge thereof, said body lobes are secured in the folded condition by means of a release pin which is positioned through the outer extremity of the retaining loop after said loop has been inserted through the apertures of said overlapping flaps.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,782,430 2/ 1957 Radnofsky 9--342 X 3,345,657 10/1967 Peeler et al. 9-342 X 3,354,480 11/1967 Harding et al. 9--316 FOREIGN PATENTS 461,295 2/ 1937 Great Britain.

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner J. E. PITTENGER, Assistant Examiner 

